Regarding the May 27 story "Warnings on Transracial Adoption": I am the mother (a white mother) of nine children, ranging in age from 7 to 19. Seven of the children are adopted, with varying degrees of special needs. Of those adopted, three are white, two are black and two are Mayan Indian from Guatemala.

I have been parenting transracially for more than 10 years. We live in a predominately white area, nearly exclusively white. We celebrate every child's uniqueness. We have had Cinco de Mayo parties, celebrated Kwanzaa, and our home is decorated with hints of each child's ethnicity. We also sponsor a child living in Africa. We regularly learn about all cultures. (For example, we celebrate Chinese New Year with a local adoption support group even though we do not have any children from China.) I teach my children that each and every person has something beautiful about them, and every race is equally special in God's eyes.

Having parented white, black and Indian children, I can tell you that properly parenting any child (adopted or not) is a challenge. I do not parent (or treat) my adopted children differently than my birth children. Nor do I parent my adopted black children differently than my adopted white or Indian children. They are all just "my kids."

Seven of my nine children are between the ages of 12 and 19. Yes, I have a house full of teenagers. I am very proud of who they are, and the lovely adults they are becoming. I couldn't imagine life without them.

Incidentally, I never had any "special training" to parent transracially. With God on my side, and a little common sense, I believe I am raising happy, well-adjusted ... kids.

SUZANNE JACK
New Bethlehem

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The front-page headline "Warnings on Transracial Adoption" (May 27) and the subsequent A-6 heading "Warnings Issued on Hardships of Transracial Adoptions" were unnecessarily negative and foreboding. The language used to draw attention to the article -- "warnings" and "hardships" -- was far from neutral, leaving the reader with a sense that multiracial families formed through adoption are problematic.

The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute's study, one focused on the effects of recent legislation, found that transracial adoptive families needed ongoing support following placement and that "colorblind" placements may not best serve the needs of children of color. Many of us who are part of multiracial families already know this -- we make choices on a daily basis that create a multiethnic world for our children, one that is inclusive of our entire family and one that is decidedly not colorblind.

We choose where we will live, where we will worship and where our children will go to school with special sensitivity for the unique needs of our children. We surround our children with friends and adults who look like them. We become anti-racists. We fight for hope and justice. We are, simply, parents -- ones who make mistakes sometimes, certainly, but ones who love our kids and work to make the world a better place for them.

"Good" families come in lots of different constructions, but so do "bad" ones. It is unfair to attach a warning label to all transracial adoptive families through alarmist headlines. Other coverage of this study managed not to do so!

ESTHER MELLINGER STIEF
Regent Square

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I am a retired teacher who worked for the Pittsburgh Board of Education. I want to inform the public that a cost-of-living adjustment is urgently needed by school retirees in this state. Pennsylvania is one of the few states that does not give automatic annual COLAs to its retirees. Pennsylvania retirees are at the mercy of the state Legislature, which generally passes a COLA about every four years; it has been six years since our last increase.

I have been told that the vast majority of state legislators understand the serious situation of our retirees and are willing to pass the legislation but are fearful of the wrath of the voting public. It is critically important for voters to understand that the funding for a COLA is already sitting in our retirement fund. Taxpayers will not need to contribute any more to our retirement system than what they are currently contributing. Taxes will not be raised to pay for this COLA. The members of the Legislature understand this, but the public apparently does not.

I am fighting for this COLA not just for myself but for the school retirees who are living well under the poverty level. Many members of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees were not degree professionals; they were the cleaning staff, pool matrons, custodians, secretaries and bookroom clerks. They never earned much money while they were working, and now many are living on pitifully small pensions and equally small Social Security payments. Our older retirees are in especially desperate straits and need this COLA.

ROSALYN SHERMAN
Squirrel Hill

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Retired educators are asking for a cost-of-living adjustment by the state legislators. This COLA will not require a tax increase. There is enough money in the Public School Employees Retirement System to meet its present obligations to retirees and to pay for a COLA if passed. Never in the past has a COLA cost the taxpayers. I realize that for some newspapers and talk show hosts on radio this can be a great topic for them. I just wish they would do some research on the topic before they start demeaning it. I was an educator for 38 years before retiring in 1993.

EDWARD N. COCHRANE
Shaler

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Why is it that President Bush and Sen. John McCain find talking with Iran so distasteful because they say it is terroristic, exports terrorism and wants to destroy Israel, when at the same time they prod Israel to negotiate with the Palestinians who have that same agenda, including actual attacks on Israel? If that's not anything more than political claptrap, I don't know what is.

GENE VENTURA
Shaler

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What has happened to our local print, radio and television media? The sad answer is the dumbing down of our media is complete.

KDKA radio was once a 50,000-watt blowtorch; it is now a 50,000-watt creampuff. Once-proud home of Bob Logue, Mike Romigh, Rush Limbaugh, Goose Goslin, etc. It is now home to a bunch of whiners who can't ask tough questions, who ignore the listeners' concerns and who think syndicated reruns of Bill O'Reilly and Dennis Miller are entertaining.

All four local TV news outlets are severely lacking. Hours and hours of news every day. Gasoline approaching $4 a gallon. You'd think some semi-intelligent station manager would have a daily segment titled "Lowest Gas Prices!" It might actually lead to higher ratings. Not to mention a few new sponsors.

Lastly, our beloved print media. Pittsburgh was once proud home to two great papers. Now our papers are littered with foreclosure sales and classified obituaries, in the front section no less. So much for news you can use. Alas, neither paper provides its readers insight on where to find the cheapest gas. But we did learn there's a penguin named Sidney at the Pittsburgh Zoo.

Can local media be this bad? It's time for local media to wake up. Give us reasons to watch, read and listen. Local media are not the voice of the people; it's our voice the media should pay attention to!

DAN WARNER
Mt. Lebanon

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Come on, folks, let's be fair! It seemed obvious to me that Sen. Hillary Clinton's remarks about June ("Clinton's RFK Comment Draws Criticism," May 24) were intended to emphasize that the race for the presidential nomination has continued to be intense in that month in past years -- and was not an ominous suggestion that her rival might be assassinated! After all, she too would be a candidate for such a fate!

Pundits who usually love sports metaphors seem to have lost sight of the fact that it is unthinkable that the competitor with the lower score should just walk away before the game is over. Furthermore, why shouldn't all of the states and territories who will be sending delegates to the convention have the right to a meaningful primary vote?

Let me also address the issue of condemnation by association. Have the critics of Sen. Barack Obama's relationship with his former pastor read the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah? They might discover that the Rev. Wright is carrying on in the tradition of his fiery namesake.

And what's with this going along with Sen. John McCain's characterization of getting out of Iraq as a "surrender"? The United States was the invader that forced Iraq to surrender. Withdrawal is not synonymous with surrender!

ELIZABETH ASCHE "BETTY" DOUGLAS
Rochester

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